There's A Massive Mystery Island Floating Off The Coast Of New Zealand

The ocean contains many strange and mysterious things, many of them we’ve looked at before, but this one tops the list for the craziest thing we’ve seen bubble to the surface: a nomadic, floating island the size of Israel has been spotted by the Navy off the coast of New Zealand. Whoa.

The Australian Associated Press reports that the island is made out of pumice, which is essentially a form of volcanic rock that occurs when lava and water mix. It was formed following an underwater volcanic eruption and has been floating around in the ocean ever since.

The New Zealand Navy spotted it 1100 kilometres off the coast of the country’s North Island, while local Naval counterparts called it “the weirdest thing” they had ever seen in 18 years at sea.

The island’s surface area measures about 25,500 square kilometres, making it larger than Israel which measures almost 21,000 square kilometres. To put that into a local perspective, New South Wales measures 809,000 square kilometres.

I want to live on a floating island. Like, yesterday. Getting the internet might be a problem, mind. [AAP]

No, i doubt it.. It will be gradually broken apart by wave and wind action action (volcanic rock isn't that strong), and dark sediment would spread accross the ocean floor immediately below it. If it does wash towards a coastline the waters will be probably diry and black for a little while, the impacts being mostly on fish and other aquatic organisms. Just a guess though :)